All parents want their children to be happy and successful, and the need to help children academically, socially, and behaviorally is starting at a younger and younger age. Parents can give children a head start to a successful academic career and future by getting their children prepared for kindergarten with a few basics for classroom readiness.

Ready for the First Day of School

Kindergarten is a time for learning, but there are some skills a child entering a kindergarten classroom should have on the first day. Some of the skills parents should focus on include academic, social, and behavioral milestones.

Academically, kindergarten teachers will expect the children in class to be able to say and write their own names, identify most letters, count to and identify numbers through 10, cut and paste, and know basic colors and shapes.

Socially, children should be able to use the bathroom on their own, put on and take off coats and shoes independently, sit for story time without interrupting, share willingly, and be ready to be away from mom and dad.

Behaviorally, you will want to make sure that your child is able to express emotions appropriately, can solve problems without anger or aggression, and is able to follow rules and directions.

Giving Your Child a Head Start

On top of the basic skills that will ensure that your child is ready for everything they will be learning during their kindergarten year, there are some skills that will give your child a head start for learning and getting to the head of the class.

Of all the things to help your pre-kindergartner with before the first day of school, focusing on the literacy basics can really help to get them ready to get the most out of their first year in school. Focus on practicing rhyming, matching sounds to letters, retelling short stories, and reading comprehension. The majority of education experts agree that successfully learning these pre-literacy basics early helps children throughout school to form critical and creative thinking skills.

Things to Do

There are many fun things you can do to help your child get ready for kindergarten. Play games, read stories together, and spend time each day talking about experiences and adventures you share together from walks in the park to trips to the library, and you will both be ready for kindergarten in no time.